Lisa Desjardins     CNN    19 January 2008

(CNN) — Poll workers in Horry County tell CNN voting machines have been down since polls opened Saturday morning throughout the county — the machines are not reading an activation card.

Workers have been giving out paper ballots but at least one precinct has run out of envelopes to seal them in (not a sign of turnout — they had just 23 such ballots on hand). Election workers say that officials have told them they are working precinct by precinct to fix the problem and that a few voting machines may now be running, but some voters have been turned away and asked to check back later.

Three poll workers also tell CNN the county has about 100 precincts and all have been affected. CNN is awaiting a call back from the county's election supervisor.

Horry County, which includes Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, was a John McCain stronghold in 2000 — he beat then Texas Gov. George Bush there by 2,500 votes.